Dominant factors controlling hydrocarbon distribution are analyzed from three aspects： the types,structural units and structural belts of the foreland basins of central and western China. There developed four types of foreland basins in China, superimposed, reformed, presenile, and new-generated foreland basins. Hydrocarbon distribution is different in the four types of basins and is controlled by their respective hydrocarbon accumulation conditions, characteristics and patterns. Thrust belts,fordeeps, slope belts and uplift belts are developed in foreland basins. The difference of these structural units in source rock development and evolution, trap type, hydrocarbon accumulation process, and preservation condition, cause different characteristics of hydrocarbon distribution in different structural belts. The main hydrocarbon enriched structural units are foreland thrust belts, in which the source rock and reservoircaprock assemblage, structural configuration and the preservation conditions are the critical factors for hydrocarbon accumulation. The configuration of faults and cap rocks in thrust belts determines the features and enrichment regularity of hydrocarbon and indicates hydrocarbon enriched locations and favorable exploration targets in various structural belts.
